Transfer panel assembly and method of construction

ABSTRACT

A panel assembly for transferring fluids from one location to another comprises a panel structure with openings, a nozzle projecting through each opening and a sleeve affixed between the nozzle and its respective opening. Each nozzle includes a tubular portion with a connection end adapted for connection to a transfer conduit. The connection ends of the nozzles are preferably aligned with a common reference plane. Each sleeve has an outer surface with a length that is greater than a combination of a thickness of the panel and any deformity on the panel. With this arrangement, alignment of the connection ends with the common reference plane is independent of any deformity on the panel. A method of constructing a panel assembly includes determining if any defects are present on the inner surface of the tubular portion before installing the nozzle on the panel, and precluding potential inner surface defects during installation of the nozzle on the panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates generally to fluid transfer devices and, moreparticularly, to panel assemblies for diverting fluids from one locationto another.

2. Background of the Invention

Flow transfer panels are an important part of most processes andclean-in-place (CIP) systems in the food, beverage, dairy,pharmaceutical, and biopharmaceutical industries. The flow transferpanel provides the “physical break” required by most processingregulations and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP's). Inaddition, flow transfer panels may be utilized for fluid diversion anddelivery in industries where sanitary conditions and the inherent“physical break” are not process requirements.

As shown in FIG. 1, a typical transfer panel 10 generally includes avertically oriented panel 12 and nozzles 14 that extend through thepanel and are welded or otherwise attached thereto. Each nozzle includesa ferrule 16 formed at the end of a tube 18 and a mounting ring 19formed on the tube and spaced from the ferrule 18. A jumper conduit 20has a ferrule 22 connected at the ends of a U-shaped tube 24. Theferrules 22 of the jumper conduit 20 include faces 25 that mate withfaces 26 of the ferrules 16. The ferrules 22 are connected to theferrules 16 through clamps or the like to thereby direct the flow offluid from one pipe to another.

The flow transfer panel 10 may be mounted on a floor, wall, or ceilingthrough appropriate supports and/or brackets, and provides a basicsupport structure for several nozzles and jumper conduits that mayextend between one or more pairs of nozzles. Generally, flow transferpanels provide a physical break required by some processing regulationsand assure that products will not be cross contaminated with otherproducts or with CIP solutions that are used for cleaning the interiorof conduits or pipes associated with fluid processing.

Assembly of the nozzles to the transfer panel typically involves formingopenings in the panel 12 then inserting the tube 18 of each nozzle inone of the openings such that the ferrule 16 is located on one side 24of the panel with the tube 18 extending through the panel. The nozzle 14is then affixed to the panel by welding the outer perimeter of the ring19 to the panel 12. With this arrangement, the distance between thepanel and an outer face 26 of the ferrule 16 of each nozzle must bereferenced from the side 24 of the panel, since the ring 19 is spaced ata fixed distance from the ferrule 16. Ideally, the outer faces 26 of theferrules 16 should lie in a common plane 28. Although care is taken toprovide a flat panel 12, dips 30 and bows 32 in the panel may occurduring formation of the panel itself, and may be further augmented bysubsequent manufacturing processes, such as stamping, forming openingsin the panel, welding of the nozzles to the panel, and the like. It hasbeen observed that for a 0.25 inch thick plate, the dips and bows mayvary by as much as 0.25 inch or more over the area of the plate, whichin some applications may be quite large. Consequently, the outer faces26 of the ferrules do not lie along a common plane 28. When a jumperconduit 20 is connected to the ferrules under these circumstances, a gap“A” between a first pair of opposing faces 25 and 26 may be greater thana gap “B” between a second pair of opposing faces of ferrules 16 and 22.When the jumper conduit is installed on the nozzles 14, the gap “B” isclosed, while the gap “A” may still be present. Consequently, leakagemay occur at the junction of the ferrules 16 and 22 and contaminants mayenter the processing line. In some cases, undue internal stresses may becreated in the jumper conduit during an attempt to close gap “A” whenassembling the jumper conduit to the nozzles. In many instances customjumper conduits must be constructed, typically at the assembly sightaway from the manufacturer, to accommodate the dips, bows and otherdeformities of the transfer panel, resulting in increased manufacturingand installation time, labor, and expense.

The above-described problems are further augmented by surface defectsthat may be present on the inner surface of the tube 18 duringmanufacture or during assembly to the panel 12. In many cases, thesurface defects are not readily observable or cannot be measured untilafter an electro-polishing operation wherein the inner surface of thenozzle 14 is given a smooth, mirror-like finish. Even when the surfacecontains no visible or discernible defects before electro-polishing, theelectro-polishing operation itself may uncover pits in the surface. Thisis especially prevalent where the surface is mechanically finishedbefore electro-polishing. Mechanical finishing often fills pits andother defects in the surface due to welding or other manufacturingoperations. Since a layer of material is removed from the surface duringelectro-polishing, some of the pits and other defects may be uncovered.In many manufacturing environments, the electro-polishing operationitself is inherently non-repetitive, since factors such as electrolyteconcentration, temperature, and immersion time of the surface in theelectrolyte may vary. Discontinuities in the finish can encouragecontamination and bacteria growth and therefore are unacceptable insterile processing environments. When surface defects are detected afterthe nozzle is installed in the panel, the nozzle must either be groundout, which is a labor-intensive and time-consuming procedure, or thepanel must be discarded.

In an attempt to overcome surface defects in the nozzle that may becaused from welding the nozzle directly to the panel assembly, U.S. Pat.No. 5,603,457 issued to Sidmore et al. on Feb. 18, 1997, proposesforming a ring on the nozzle and an enlarged opening in the panel forreceiving the ring. Me outer periphery of the ring is then welded to thepanel and the welding bead is subsequently removed during a grindingoperation. Although the ring effectively relocates the welding operationto a location spaced from the nozzle, the ring is the same thickness asthe panel. The distance from the panel to a connection end of the nozzlemust therefore be referenced from the panel itself Consequently, theconnection ends of nozzles on the panel may not lie in the same planedue to dips, bows and other imperfections in the panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a method of constructing a panelassembly for transferring fluids from one location to another includesproviding a panel with at least one opening, forming at least one nozzlewith a tubular portion and at least one connection end, forming a sleeveon the tubular portion, the sleeve having an outer surface with an axiallength that is greater than a combination of a thickness of the paneland any deformity on the panel, polishing an inner surface of thetubular portion, inspecting the inner surface for defects; andinstalling the at least one nozzle on the panel by a) inserting thetubular portion into the at least one opening in the panel until thesleeve is positioned within the at least one opening, and b) affixingthe outer surface of the sleeve to the panel in the vicinity of the atleast one opening. With this method, defects that may be present on theinner surface of the tubular portion can be discovered before installingthe nozzle on the panel, and potential inner surface defects areprecluded during installation of the nozzle on the panel. It is to beunderstood that the phrase “any deformity” refers to one or more typicaldeformities that may be present after manufacture of the panel itself.The length of the sleeve is preferably predetermined to accommodatethese typical deformities, whether or not they are present on the panel.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, a method ofconstructing a panel assembly for transferring fluids from one locationto another comprises providing a panel with a plurality of openings,forming a plurality of nozzles, with each nozzle including a tubularportion and at least one connection end, forming a sleeve on eachtubular portion, polishing an inner surface of each tubular portion,inspecting the inner surface of each tubular portion for defects; andinstalling each of a plurality of nozzles that pass the inspection stepon the panel by a) inserting the tubular portion into one of theopenings in the panel, b) aligning the connection end of the tubularportion in a common reference plane while positioning the sleeve withinthe one opening, and c) affixing an outer surface of the sleeve to thepanel in the vicinity of the one opening. Alignment of the connectionends with the common reference plane is thus independent of anydeformity that may exist on the panel. With this arrangement, defectsthat may be present on the inner surface of the tubular portion can bediscovered before installing the nozzles on the panel, and potentialinner surface defects are precluded during installation of the nozzleson the panel.

A panel assembly according to the present invention for transferringfluids from one location to another comprises a panel structure havingat least two openings, a nozzle projection through each opening and asleeve affixed between each nozzle and its respective opening. Eachnozzle includes a tubular portion with a connection end adapted forconnection to a transfer conduit. The connection ends of the nozzles arepreferably aligned with a common reference plane. Each sleeve has anouter surface with a length that is greater than a combination of athickness of the panel and any deformity on the panel. With thisarrangement, alignment of the connection ends with the common referenceplane is independent of any deformity that may exist on the panel.

There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will bedescribed hereinafter which will form the subject matter of the appendedclaims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the preferredembodiments may readily be used as a basis for designing otherstructures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes ofthe present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims beregarded as including such equivalent constructions since they do notdepart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The foregoingand other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following more particular description of preferred embodiments ofthe invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter bedescribed in conjunction with the appended drawings, where likedesignations denote like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view in partial cross section of a prior arttransfer panel assembly;

FIG. 2 is a exploded front isometric view of a transfer panel assemblyaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a nozzle and sleeve assembly according tothe invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a sleeve according to one embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a sleeve according to a furtherembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view in partial cross section of the transfer panelassembly according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, and to FIG. 2 in particular, an explodedview of a transfer panel assembly 100 according to the present inventionis illustrated. The transfer panel assembly 100 includes a generallyvertically oriented panel 112, nozzles 114 adapted for extending throughopenings 116 in the panel, and a collar or sleeve 118 that fits in theopenings 116 between the panel 112 and the nozzles 114. A jumper ortransfer conduit 120 (FIG. 6) may be connected to the nozzles throughwell-known clamp assemblies (not shown). Where the transfer panelassembly is to be used in sterile processing environments, the panel100, nozzles 114, sleeve 118, and any jumper conduits 120 that may beused are preferably constructed of stainless steel material.

With additional reference to FIG. 3, each nozzle 114 includes a ferrule122 formed at a forward end 124 of a tube or conduit 126. The outersurface 125 of the ferrule 122 is larger in diameter than the tube 126and includes an opening with an inner diameter that is substantiallyequal to the inner diameter of the tube 124. The ferrule 122 ispreferably formed in a separate operation and welded to the tube. Thewelding operation preferably involves butt welding the componentstogether, wherein a rear surface 128 (FIG. 6) of the ferrule 122 and aforward edge 129 of the tube 126 are abutted together and aligned suchthat a center axis of the tube is coincident with a center axis of theferrule. The ferrule 122 and tube 124 are then simultaneously heated inthe vicinity of the rear surface 128 and forward edge 129 with a TIGwelder, for example, until the material from each component flowstogether. Preferably, the butt welding is performed without fillermaterial that typically accompanies other welding techniques. In someapplications, it may be desirable to purge the tube 126 with an inertgas, such as Argon, while welding in order to prevent oxidation on aninner surface 132 of the tube. The temperature to which the material isheated during welding and the welding velocity are dependent on the typeof material used and the thickness of the tube. Preferably, thetemperature and welding velocity are chosen so that the weld fullypenetrates the wall of the tube. The welding can be automated with thewelding temperature and velocity set to assure a strong bond between theflange and tube. After welding, any welding bead that may have beenproduced is mechanically polished from the inner surface 132 and outersurface 130 of the tube 126.

In an alternative construction, the ferrule 122 may be machined directlyon the tube or may be formed on the tube through other known formingprocesses.

With further reference to FIG. 4, each sleeve 118 includes an annularbody 136 with an outer surface 138 and a bore 146 with an inner surface140. A forward chamfered surface 142 and a rearward chamfered surface144 extend between the inner and outer surfaces. The diameter of thebore 136 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tube 126 sothat the sleeve 118 can be slipped over the tube and affixed thereon.

Preferably, the sleeve 118 is positioned a predetermined distance fromthe ferrule 122 and then seal-welded on the tube 126 at a forward edge148, which is the intersection of the forward chamfered surface 142 andinner surface 140, and a rearward edge 150, which is the intersection ofthe rearward chamfered surface 144 and the inner surface 140. Sealwelding is preferably accomplished with a TIG welder, and is performedwithout filler material that typically accompanies other weldingtechniques. In some applications, it may be desirable to again purge thetube 126 with an inert gas while welding in order to prevent oxidationon the inner surface 132 of the tube. The temperature to which thematerial is heated during welding and the welding velocity are againdependent on the type of material used and the thickness of the tube.Preferably, the temperature and welding velocity are chosen so that theweld does not fully penetrate the wall of the tube. The welding can beautomated with the welding temperature and velocity set to assure astrong bond between the sleeve and tube. After welding, any welding beadthat may have been produced is mechanically polished from the outersurface 130 of the tube 126. However, since no filler material is used,the welding bead will be relatively small since the weld does notpenetrate through the wall of the tube. In many instances, the weldingbead will not require grinding. Since the weld does not fully penetratethe wall of the tube, the inner surface 132 of the tube will normallynot be affected.

Although the sleeve 118 can be formed without chamfered surfaces, theyserve to facilitate clean-up both during manufacture and in use sincesharp comers between the tube and sleeve are eliminated, where dirt andother particles could otherwise become entrapped. In addition, thechamfered surfaces provide an aesthetically pleasing transition betweenthe tube 126 and the sleeve 118. The thickness “C” between the inner andouter surfaces of the sleeve is chosen so that when the sleeve is weldedto the panel 112, heat dissipation generated from the welding operationwill not affect the inner surface 132 of the tube 126. The length “D” ofthe outer surface 138 may vary greatly depending on the thickness of thepanel 112, but is preferably at least long enough to compensate forpanel thickness and common panel deformities. For example, a panelthickness of 0.25 inch and a total deformation of 0.25 inch for dips and0.25 inch for bows, the length “D” should be approximately 0.75 inches.This dimension, of course, is given only by way of example and can varygreatly.

Although the outer surface 138 of the sleeve 118 is shown as circular incross section, the outer surface may have other cross sectional shapesincluding, but not limited to square, rectangular, hexagonal, oval,star, and so on, as long as the cross dimension of the outer surface,i.e. a distance between opposing sides of the sleeve 118, issubstantially constant throughout an axial length of the sleeve..

In an alternative construction, the sleeve 118 may be machined directlyon the tube or may be formed on the tube through other known formingprocesses.

After the sleeve and ferrule are affixed to the tube, the inner surface132 of the tube 126 is preferably electro-polished to provide a verysmooth and uniform mirror-like surface that resists oxidation. Ifdesired, the entire nozzle can be electro-polished to resist oxidationand provide a more aesthetic appearance. After electro-polishing, thenozzle is inspected for determining the quality of the inner surface132. If the inner surface is nonuniform, or if there are pits or othersurface imperfections, the nozzle can be rejected before it is installedon the panel 112. This offers a great advantage over the prior art,wherein electro-polishing occurs after the prior art nozzles are weldedto the flow panel. Since surface imperfections are normally not noticedor cannot practically be measured until after electro-polishing, thenozzle must be ground out or the entire panel must be discarded ifsurface imperfections are found. In a large panel with several nozzles,this can be very disadvantageous in terms of manufacturing time andcosts.

The present invention is particularly advantageous in that severalnozzles with the same or various sizes of ferrules, tubes, and sleevescan be manufactured in advance and inspected before affixing the nozzlesto transfer panels. In this manner, the prior art labor-intensive andtime consuming task of grinding out one or more reject nozzles, and/orthe cost of discarding the old transfer panel assembly and manufacturinga new transfer panel assembly with the same attendant risks areeliminated.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross section of a sleeve 160 according to afurther embodiment of the invention is illustrated, wherein like partsin the previous embodiment are represented by like numerals. The sleeve160 is similar in construction to the sleeve 118 with the exception ofan annular groove 162 formed on the inner surface 140 of the sleeve. Thesleeve 160 is installed on the tube 126 (shown in phantom line) in thesame manner as sleeve 118 previously described. When installed, thegroove 162 together with the outer surface 130 of the tube 126 form anannular pocket 164 that insulates the tube from dissipated heat duringwelding of the sleeve 160 to the panel 112 (also shown in phantom line).With this arrangement, it is contemplated that the thickness “C” of thenozzle may be reduced, as well as the size of the opening 116 in panel112.

As shown in FIG.'s 2 and 6, the transfer panel assembly 100 isconstructed by forming openings 116 in the panel 112 then inserting anozzle 114 into each opening such that the sleeve 118 (or 160) ispositioned in each opening and an outer face 170 of each ferrule 122 ispositioned in a common plane 172 (shown in phantom line). The plane 172is preferably a reference surface with an acceptable flatness and theouter faces 170 of the ferrules are positioned in abutting relationshipwith the reference surface. Subsequently, the sleeves 118 (or 160) areaffixed to the panel 112, preferably by seal welding the outer surface138 of each sleeve to an outer circumferential edge 174 and an innercircumferential edge 176 of the opening 116. In this manner, the nozzlesare affixed to the panel 112 with the outer faces of each ferrule 122lying in a common plane, even when the panel includes dips and bowsand/or other deformities.

Although the reference surface 172 and panel are shown orientedvertically in FIG. 2, it is to be understood that the reference surfaceand panel can be oriented horizontally during assembly of the nozzles tothe panel, or in any other orientation, as long as the outer faces ofthe ferrules are aligned in a common plane.

With particular reference now to FIG. 6, a jumper or transfer conduit120 includes a ferrule 182 connected at the ends of a U-shaped tube 184.The U-shaped tube 184 includes a pair of leg portions 180 and a curvedportion 185 extending therebetween. Depending on the distance betweennozzles to be connected, the curved portion 185 may include a straightsection (not shown). The ferrules 182 include a face 186 that lie in acommon plane. When the jumper conduit 120 is installed on the transferpanel assembly 100, the faces 186 and 170 will be in abuttingrelationship, independent of any panel deformations or otherimperfections. A clamp (not shown) can then be installed over theferrules 182 and 122 in a well-known manner to thereby affix the jumperconduit to a pair of nozzles. Although a particular type of ferrule isshown for both the nozzles 114 and jumper conduit 120, it is to beunderstood that ferrules with mutually engaging threads, or other meansfor connecting the jumper conduit to the nozzles are well within thescope of the present invention.

With the above-describe arrangement, a plurality of jumper conduits 120can now be constructed at the manufacturer as a standard part. Thus, itis no longer necessary to custom form jumper conduits in the fieldduring assembly as in the prior art due to changes in surface contour orother deformities in the transfer panel.

It is to be understood that the terms forward, rearward, inner, outer,and their respective derivatives as used herein denote relative, ratherthan absolute positions or locations.

While the invention has been taught with specific reference to theabove-described embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognizethat changes can be made in form and detail without departing from thespirit and the scope of the invention. The described embodiments are tobe considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive.The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appendedclaims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that comewithin the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to beembraced within their scope.

The embodiments for which an exclusive property or privilege is claimedare defined as follows:
 1. A panel assembly for transferring fluids fromone location to another, the substantially rigid panel assemblycomprising: a panel structure having at least two openings; a nozzleprojecting through each opening in the panel structure, each nozzleincluding a tubular portion with a first connection end adapted forconnection to a transfer conduit and a second opposite end, with thefirst and second ends extending beyond the panel structure, theconnection ends of the nozzles being aligned with a common referenceplane; and a sleeve positioned between the ends of each tubular portionand between each tubular portion and its respective opening, each sleevehaving opposite ends and an outer surface with a length between the endsthat is greater than a combination of a thickness of the panel and anydeformity on the panel, each sleeve fixed against movement at least atits opposite ends to a respective one of the tubular portions and beingfixed against movement to the panel structure between the opposite endsof the sleeve; wherein alignment of the connection ends with the commonreference plane is independent of any deformity on the panel.
 2. A panelassembly according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of each sleevehas a substantially constant cross dimension along the length of theouter surface such that the sleeve can be slid in the opening throughwhich it extends during alignment of the connection end with the commonreference plane.
 3. A panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein eachsleeve is seal welded to an outer surface of its respective tubularportion at the opposite ends of the sleeve.
 4. A panel assemblyaccording to claim 3, wherein the outer surface of each sleeve of eachis welded to the panel between the opposite ends.
 5. A panel assemblyaccording to claim 4, wherein each sleeve includes an inner sleeve withan inner groove, the annular groove being coincident with the panelopening and being longer than a thickness of the panel, the annulargroove together with an outer surface of the tubular portion forming aninsulative pocket to thereby reduced heat transfer to the tubularportion during welding of the sleeve to the panel.
 6. A panel assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of each sleeve is weldedto the panel between the opposite ends.
 7. A panel assembly according toclaim 1, wherein the outer surface of each sleeve is fixed to the panelbetween the opposite ends.
 8. A panel assembly according to claim 7,wherein the panel includes a front surface and a rear surface, eachsleeve being fixed to the panel at an intersection of the front surfaceand the opening through which the sleeve extends.
 9. A panel assemblyaccording to claim 8, wherein each sleeve is fixed to the panel at anintersection of the rear surface and the opening through which thesleeve extends.
 10. A panel assembly according to claim 1, and furthercomprising a U-shaped transfer conduit having a pair of leg conduitportions and a center portion extending therebetween, each leg portionincluding a connection end connected to a respective one of theconnection ends of the nozzle in the common reference plane.
 11. A panelassembly according to claim 1, wherein each sleeve is spaced from theconnection end of its respective nozzle.
 12. A panel assembly fortransferring fluids from one location to another, the substantiallyridged panel assembly comprising: a panel structure having at least oneopening; A nozzle projecting through the opening in the panel structure,the nozzle including a tubular portion with a first connection endadapted for connection to a transfer conduit and a second end oppositethe first end, with first and second ends extending beyond the panelstructure, the connection end of the nozzle being aligned with areference plane; and a sleeve positioned between the ends of eachtubular portion and between the tubular portion and the opening, thesleeve having opposite ends and an outer surface with a length betweenthe ends that is greater than a combination of a thickness of the paneland any deformity on the panel, the sleeve being fixed against movementat least at its opposite ends to the tubular portion and being fixedagainst movement to the panel structure between the opposite ends of thesleeve; wherein alignment of the connection end with the commonreference plane is independent of any deformity on the panel.
 13. Apanel assembly according to claim 12, wherein the outer surface of thesleeve is substantially constant in cross dimension such that the sleevecan be slid in the opening during alignment of the connection end withthe common reference plane.
 14. A panel assembly according to claim 12,wherein the sleeve is seal welded to an outer surface of the tubularportion at the opposite ends of the sleeve.
 15. A panel assemblyaccording to claim 14, wherein the outer surface of the sleeve is weldedto the panel between the opposite ends.
 16. A panel assembly accordingto claim 15, wherein the sleeve includes an inner sleeve surface with aninner annular groove, the annular groove being coincident with the panelopening and being longer than a thickness of the panel, the annulargroove together with an outer surface of the tubular portion forming aninsulative pocket to thereby reduce heat transfer to the tubular portionduring welding of the sleeve to the panel.
 17. A panel assemblyaccording to claim 12, wherein the outer surface of the sleeve is fixedto the panel between the opposite ends.
 18. A panel assembly accordingto claim 17, wherein the panel includes a front surface and a rearsurface, the sleeve being fixed to the panel at an intersection of thefront surface and the opening.
 19. A panel assembly according to claim18, wherein the sleeve is fixed to the panel at an intersection of therear surface and the opening.
 20. A panel assembly according to claim12, wherein the outer surface of the sleeve is substantially constant incross dimension such that that the sleeve can be slid in the openingduring alignment of the connection end with the common reference plane.21. A panel assembly according to claim 12, wherein the sleeve is spacedfrom the connection end of the nozzle.
 22. A panel assembly fortransferring fluids from one location to another, the substantiallyrigid panel comprising: a substantially rigid panel structure having atleast two openings; a U-shaped transfer conduit having a pair of legconduit portions and a center conduit portion extending therebetween,each leg portion including a connection end, the connection ends of theleg portions being aligned with a common reference plane; a nozzleprojecting through each opening in the panel structure, each nozzleincluding a tubular portion with a first connection end connected to arespective one of the connection ends of the transfer conduit and asecond end opposite the first end, with the first and second endsextending beyond the panel structure, the connection ends of the nozzlebeing aligned with the common reference plane; a sleeve positionedbetween the ends of each tubular portion and between each tubularportion and its respective opening, each sleeve having opposite ends andan outer surface with a length between the ends that is greater than acombination of a thickness of the panel and any deformity on the panel,such that alignment of the connection ends with the common referenceplane is independent of any deformity on the panel; each tubular portionbeing fixed against movement to one of the sleeves; and each sleevebeing fixed against movement to the panel through which the sleeveextends.
 23. A panel assembly according to claim 22, wherein each sleeveis fixed at least at its opposite ends to its respective tubularportion.
 24. A panel assembly according to claim 22, wherein each sleeveis spaced from the connection end of the nozzle to which the sleeve isfixed.